31213 posts
94 Q45t 5 speed NICO Track Slut
Anderson and Angola IN
2-23-2003
The Official Tire Review Thread
5:53 PM 3/21/2005
Lets have this thread so people can review all the tires theyve used on their cars and what they thought fo them...
I thought this thread could be used so that members can easily see what they want, and from actual people here that have used them....
Heres the format...
- List the brand and other nomenclature - List the size and price you paid (if you want to), if they came with the car, just say OEM or something, and the mileage you put on them - List the category you think theyre in (all season, high performance, winter, etc) - List good things you liked about the tire - List bad things you liked about the tire - List a final verdict, and closing thought.. Would you recommend this tire, and a rating out of 10. include in that rating price and value for the price
May also include what kind of car they were on if it wasnt a Q45 or other infintii
Cooper Lifeliner Touring 225-60-15, $60 or so a tire, 10k miles All seasons Good: Treadwear was decent, even though it didnt fit my driving style.. 50k warranty is good. Treadwear was nice and even. Very quiet, and good in the rain Bad: Not very sticky, tires didnt seem to hold up too well, fortunately for the 50k warranty Verdict: Good tire for moderate driving in all seasons... Good for grandma's cadillac and thats about it, 7.5 out of 10
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 235-60-15, Free (came with car), approx 15k All seasons Good: Very sticky tire for an all season, quiet, smooth... Good in rain or shine, and so far with about 15k on the tires and tread is still excellent Bad: Not real great in the snow (manageable but nothing to write home about), only comes in S and T ratings Verdict: Recommended if you dont mind the less than stellar speed rating... For winter only tires like i intended to sue them for, proabbly not ideal.. If you can find them in H or V rating, youll be in great shape 8 out of 10
Sumitomo HTRZ+ 245-45-17, Free, about 15k High performance Good- Good overall wet and dry traction, and tires are holding up VERY nicely. Once you get them warmed up (IE ambient temp is greater than 50 or 60) they really accel and just keep gripping.... Really make the Q feel very stabel Have 15k on them or so and looks like they could go another 15k, seems to be very quiet Bad- Doesnt really accel in anything jsut kinda barely passes Verdict: Great tire for the money, less than $100 in 245-45-17, great treadwear. Hard to beat the performance per dollar. 9 out of 10, HIGHLY recommend
Kumho Supra 712 245-40-18, Free, 15k High performance Good: Decent overall, nothign special Bad: Wearing faster than I thought they should, Traction isnt real good, they dont seem to like really sharp turns.. Still stable but nothign real good Verdict: dont really recommend these tires, for the money much better, quieter, sticker, and longer lasting can be had... 7/10
Yokahama AVS dB S2 215/65-15 Paid right around $100 per mounted All-Season Ultra-High Performance 7500 mi on mine, can hardly tell. Good: Very good dry traction and handling, VERY good wet traction. Very firm handling for a tire with this much sidewall. V rated tire, which is nice. Fairly smooth, nice quiet ride. Good wear. Not so good: Snow traction. I'd be in a bad way here in CO without my TCS sometimes! Verdict: I highly recommend this tire! For the price this is a hard tire to beat!
« Re: The Official Tire Review Thread (TheColoradoQ)
8:16 PM 3/21/2005
Ice T (2000 I30t):
Brand: Bridgestone RE92 Size: 225/50/17 93H Price: OEM on 2000 I30t ($169 each) Mileage: 20,000 miles Category: All Season Good: Quiet, sticky, good sidewall Bad: Wear out too fast
Brand: Kumho Escta Size: 225/50/17 Price: $105 each Mileage: 5,000 miles so far Category: All Season Good: Cheap, Handle great, Tread does well in rain Bad: A little noisier, Flat-spotted when cold. Thin sidewall
Layla (1994 Q45):
Brand: Bridgestone RE92 Size: 225/50/17 93H Price: Bought Used off of eBay for $40 each Mileage: 10,000 miles Category: All Season Good: Quiet, sticky, good sidewall, graet tracking Bad: Wear out too fast, not enough load rating for Q
Brand: Continental Sport Contact Size: 245/45/17 Price: Bought Used off of eBay for $25 each Mileage: 5,000 miles Category: All Season Good: Sticky Bad: Terrible tracking, thin inner sidewall where the Q needs it most
Brand: NITTO NT455 Size: 225/50/17 94H Price: $115 each Mileage: 30,000 miles Category: High Performance Good: Cheap, Hard tread lasted a long time Bad: Noisy tires
Brand: Sumitomo HTR+ Size: 255/45/17 Price: $115 each Mileage: 30,000 miles Category: All Season Good: Long Life Bad: A little noisy, tread cupped on inside some
Brand: Fuzion Size: 255/45/17 Price: $120 each Mileage: 5,000 miles so far Category: High Performance Good: we will see Bad: Took a lot to balance
Lola (1994 Q45t):
Brand: Yokahama S320 Size: 215/65/15 Price: $80 each Mileage: about 35,000 miles Category: All Season Good: long life Bad: dry rotted - were on car for nearly 4 years.
Brand: Yokahama YK420 Size: 215/65/15 Price: $85 each Mileage: 2,600 miles Category: All Season Good: Quietest tires I ahve ever had on a car. Smoothest ride as well. Bad: Not enough mileage to find anything bad.
Brand: Sumitomo HTR+ Size: 245/40/18 Price: $130 Mileage: 18,000 Category: All Season Good: Relatively quiet. Bad: Inner sidewall is taking a beating - front end out of alignment. 40 series tires are a tad too short for my ride comfort. Will go to 45's on next set.
Father of the NICO Front Strut Tower Brace for the first generation Q45
Lola - 94 Q45t, 203K miles Ice T - 00 I30t Sport, 150K miles Lana - 04 M45, 53K miles
$75 installed (per tire) with 40k warranty. I bought one at first to replace a flat Goodyear, then just completed the set.
All season tires that do well on gravel and decent enough on snow. Surprisingly nice in the rain, too.
On the highway theyre noticeably out of round with a lot of extra vibration. The weak sidewalls caused them to wander a little on the highway, requiring frequent correction.
Around town, theyre surprisingly smooth and quiet.
These would have been perfect for the MPV or Civic, but theyre woefully inadequate for a luxury cruiser like the Q.
-Jesda
[UPDATED 10/28/2005.] These tires suck!
After 10,000 miles they started vibrating horribly. The sidewalls are like bubble gum. The highway wandering caused by soft sidewalls has worsened, especially in the spring and summer. There's one positive: treadwear is slow and even. I'm sure these awful things will last forever.
In the snow, they're shockingly good. I dont know if its because these are the taller/narrower OEM size, or because of the way the tread is designed. They definitely got me through some nasty weeks in 2004. And while they're effective at plowing through snow and slush, they have a tendency to slip in the rain. I can't explain it.
I would have been better off with used tires for 1/3 the price. I intend to keep these for winter use, since they're already on a separate set of wheels.
Brand: Nankang NSII Size: 235/40-18, 95h front, 245/40-18, 97h rear Price: retail is something between $135-195 Mileage: 6,000 miles Category: High Performance Good: Quiet, sticky, good sidewall, good wet & dry, suprisingly good for a pretty unknown tire Bad: No complaints yet, If I get 2 years I'm happy.
Brand: Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 Size: 215/65/15 96Q Price: About $80 each Mounted and Balanced Mileage: 6000 miles Category: Studless Ice & Snow Good: Very good snow traction. Makes Q drivable in the snow. Comfortable ride. Bad: Soft rubber compound wares quick. Had better snow traction last season when they were new. Might be able to get another season. Dry performance leaves much to be desired. Can’t wait for spring to come to take them off. A little noisy. Conclusion: Well, how excited can you get about winter tires. They’re not going to give you good dry handling characteristics, but if you don’t want to get stuck in the snow, the Blizzaks are the winter tire for you. Winter tires are a must for any Q driver that lives were it snows.
Brand: Michelin Pilot XGT H4 Size: 215/65/15 95H Price: About $95 each Mounted and Balanced Mileage: 20,000 miles Category: All Season Good: Good dry handling. Good ride. Nice driving tires. Bad: When they say “All Season”, they forgot about winter. Horrible snow traction. Below average wet traction. They wore quicker that I liked. Could have used them one more season but I’m upgrading to 16in rims. Conclusion: If you want a nice tire that stays balanced, handles well and gives a nice ride, these are the tires for you. Just be careful when it starts to rain. A little more expensive that some of the cheaper brands, but do you really want to put cheap tires on a 2 ton car you plan to drive hard. Not me.
Brand: Cooper (Don’t remember which one) Size: 215/65/15 95H Price: About $75 each Mounted and Balanced Mileage: Don’t remember Category: All Season Good: Good handling. Not as good as the Michelins, but better than the OEMs. Better snow traction than the Michelin. Bad: Wore to quickly. Conclusion: Eh, they were OK.
Brand: Falken 512's Size: 215/65/15 95H Price: $65 each mounted & balanced Mileage: 15,000 miles Category: All Season Good: Quiet, sticky, good sidewall, good wet weather Bad: no real complaints Comments: Fronts still look very good, rears are totally bald (wonder why?)
Brand: Michelin Pilot XGT H4 Size: 235/60-15 98H Price: $70, on special, from TireRack Mileage: 3500 Category: All Season Good: sticky, 400 wear rating, and they're Round Bad: Some slap noise across highway expansion strips, hum on rough pavement Verdict: I like 'em - a nice wide tire for my standard 15"ers - sticky and long-wearing. I just wish they had a higher speed rating.
Car: 1991 and 1995 Infiniti Q45. Suspension: Stock. Wheels: Infiniti OEM stock 15"x6.5" (piepans). Brand: Michelin Pilot XGT Z4. Size: 215/65-15 95Z. Price: Do not remember. Mileage: Lasted more than 20k miles. Category: High Performance, as I recall. Good: Reasonable grip. Bad:Slippery when wet. Verdict: Downright dangerous in wet weather!
Car: 1991 and 1995 Infiniti Q45. Suspension: Stock. Wheels: Infiniti OEM stock 15"x6.5" (piepans). Brand: Michelin Pilot XGT V4 Size: 215/65-15 95V. Price: Do not remember. Mileage: Lasted more than 20k miles. Category: All Season, I think. Good: Reasonable grip. Bad:Slippery when wet. Verdict: Dangerous in wet weather. Same problem as the Z rated tires above - had to buy them again (argh!) when other brands failed badly and the local tire place only had these in stock.
Car: 1995 Infiniti Q45. Suspension: Stock. Wheels: Infiniti OEM stock 15"x6.5" (piepans). Brand: Firestone Firehawk SZ50EP. Size: 225/60-15 95Z. Price: Do not remember. About $110 per tire, as I vaguely recall. Mileage: Lasted more than 20k miles. Category: High Performance. Good: Sticky and excellent grip. Quietest tire I have ever used! Bad: Slightly soft sidewalls, but nothing to worry about. Verdict:Best tire I have ever used in over 25 years of driving. Firestone should not have discontinued it.
Car: 1995 Infiniti Q45. Suspension: Stock. Wheels: 2003 Infiniti G35 Sedan OEM 17"x7.5". Brand: Falken Ziex 512. Size: 245/45-17 95Z. Price: Do not remember. About $100 per tire, as I vaguely recall. Mileage: I used for less than 2k miles - car was sold, so I did not get a good estimate of longevity. Category: High Performance. Good: Sticky and good/excellent grip. Very good in wet weather, but not as good as the best wet weather tires I have ever used. Bad: Stiffer than usual sidewalls, but nothing to worry about. Verdict: Good to excellent all-round tire. Nothing stellar, but no bad points either.
Brand: Douglas Performance GT Size: 215/65-15 H, Directional Price: $150 for a set. Used. Mileage: Kept them for 1000 miles. Category: Performance Good: Fantastic grip! Nice stiff sidewalls. Very confidence inspiring. Surprisingly decent in the rain. Bad: Vibrated like a pager. Verdict: They were used. I wish I could say whether the vibration was from age or manufacturing.
Brand: Dunlop SP 8000 Size: 225/55/16 95W Price: ~$125 each Mileage: 27,000 miles so far Category: Ultra HiPerf summer Good: Felt like the car drove on rails - really crisp, round. Bad - not much warning at the limit. Wet traction went form great to terrible with wear. Verdict: Great handling when new,
Brand: Kumho Escta 712 Size: 225/55/16 95W Price: $80 each Mileage: 2 sets 20,000 miles/set Category: Ultra HiPerf summer Good: Cheap, Handle great, gives feedback before letting go, stops well. decent in rain. Bad: Wore quicker than expected, flatspotting when cold, vibrated when older. Verdict: Better alternatives today. were the best for the money back then.
Brand: Yokohama ES 100 Size: 225/55/16 95W Price: $102 each Mileage: 20,000 miles so far & may last until next rainy season begins (Oct.) Category: Ultra HiPerf summer Good: Inexpensive, Handle great, decent feedback, stops very well on corners. very good in rain, Seem to wear well and are quiet Bad: Verdict: Fantastic for the price... maybe the new Avons next for more wet traction?
16" summer Ultra high performance seem to be a very good price.
I'll list the two tires I'm running right now that are interesting:
1997 Q45t - Yoko ES100 - 245/45 17 - Ultra high performance - Likes: Damn good traction, decent in the wet, quiet ride, they look bad - Seem to be wearing out fast, but only have 5k on them so who knows - For $110 bucks per from tire rack, these are a great buy and a super way to get into a WR tire that is grippy and like to go fast around corners.
1984 300ZX
- Bridgetone SO3 Pole Position - 225/50 15 - Ultra Ultra high performance - Likes: The best grip I've ever experienced in a tire, I though the RE71's were good, they are also wearing nicely, did I mention the grip. Decent in the wet. - Bad: A bit pricy but not compared to Michelin not so bad - Price: $135 for these but remember these are on my original Z mags which were only 15"
Jeff Leeds El Granada CA 97' Q45t 05' Xterra S 4X4 84 300ZX (original owner) 99 Sentra (wife mobile) 85 Maxima RIP w/295,000 77 Celica GT Liftback (Sold in 84)
Michelin Pilot Sport 2's front:225/45-18 Rear 255/40-18 (I think) Expensive as hell. I think a little less the 1k for all 4 Ulta high performance. Good: Sublime dry handling. Much better than I expected in rain. Better life than I expected. Bad: No complaints so far. Excellent tires.
Brand: AVON M550 Size: 245/40/18 ZR18 97W Price: 167.00 per tire intalled . Mileage: i have 1k on them i heard they can last 35k. Category: ultra High Performance all season Good: excellent grip also the best tire in the rain thus far Bad: none so faqr Verdict: The best tires ive put on high perf vehicle. will let you know in the snow. but look at the reviews nothing but love for theses's tires
Brand: Yokohama Avid H4s Size: 195/60/14 Vehicle: 1995 Infiniti G20tA Price: $85/tire installed Category: High-performance all season Good: Quiet, great handling, excellent snow traction even in bad MA weather. Tires are so good in snow that even a new driver (my sister) managed to never slip once even under blizzard conditions. Bad: Nothing so far Verdict: great tires, a good compromise between handling and all season traction, not to mention much cheaper than Michelin XGTV4 or most other comparable tires.
Brand: Michelin Pilot (OEM replacements) Size: 215/60/15 Good: OEM tires, these were pretty old when I bought the car. 75% tread remaining, but were almost 3 years old. Balanced well. Bad: Terrible in wet conditions, snap-oversteer when least expected.
Brand: Yokohama YK420 Size: 245/50/16 Good: Not much good to say about these. Bad: Required 10 re-balances in 8 months, finally got all my money back as all four failed Road Force balancing. Garbage, best suited for an old person who wants 60K miles out of their tires.
Brand: Kumho Ecsta Supra Size: 255/50ZR16 Good: Quiet, sticky, impressively comfortable ride, good-looking sidewall and tread design. Bad: Some tramlining, to be expected with a wide tire. Not a great wet-weather tire, once they got 60% worn performance fell off noticeably. Needs a fatter rim protector ridge.
Brand: Falken Ziex-512 Size: 255/50ZR16 Good: Sticky, quiet, GREAT wet-weather handling. Possibly the BEST tire I’ve owned for the money. Nice beefy sidewall, and the rim protector is thick and functional. Bad: Some boominess over expansion joints, possibly due to me running 42 psi rather than 35 recommended.
Brand: Cooper Zeon Size: 245/40ZR18 Good: Cheap, pretty decent tire for the money. Bad: Wears quickly and unevenly, not impressive in wet weather.
Brand: Pirelli P-Zero Size: 255/40ZR18 Good: Simply amazing. Sticky, stable in the rain, quiet even on grooved pavement, tramlines less than any tire I’ve owned, lateral grip is FAR superior to anything else I’ve run on the Q. Tackles my favorite freeway cloverleaf at 10 mph faster than any other tire, and reaching the adhesion limit is recognizable and gradual (rather than immediate and irretrievable). Also the quietest tire I’ve owned aside from the Falkens. Bad: Wish I’d bought 265/40ZR18’s for a bit more sidewall – the Pirelli sidewall is amazingly stiff. Next set will be this size.
Car: 1997 Acura 2.2CL. Suspension: Stock. Wheels: Acura OEM stock 16"x6.5" (not sure of width). Brand: Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. Size: 205/55-16 91W. Price: $130 each at Tire Rack. $12 each shipping. $20 each mounting/balance at local Tire Rack recommended place. Mileage: Now at 6/32" after 12,000 miles. Decent! Category: Max Performance Summer. Good: Very sticky in dry, outstanding in wet weather. Bad: Noisier than touring tires; needs more re-balance than I would like. Verdict: Excellent all round performance. Outstanding in wet - as good as the SZ50EP.
Car: 2003 Infiniti M45. Suspension: Stock. Wheels: Infiniti OEM stock 18"x7.5". Brand: Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. Size: 245/45-18 100W (for my 2003 Infiniti M45). Price: $224 each at Goodyear Auto. $7 mounting/balance. Mileage: Got close to 20k miles per set (on two sets now). Category: Max Performance Summer. Good: Very sticky in dry, outstanding in wet weather. Bad: Noisier than touring tires; Don't know if the higher load index will prevent the need for more re-balance than I would like. Verdict: Excellent all round performance. Outstanding in wet - as good as the SZ50EP.
Goodyear Eagle F1 GS DS3 225/50/17 mounted on stock 17" wheels from 2002 Q45 Paid (I think) about 153 ea from Tirerack 11,000 miles Hi perf Good: on my car their very quiet and smooth, stay balanced. Maybe noisier than Turanzas bu not as noisy as Potenzas. Excellent wet weather grip. Very good in dry Primary bad thing is cost I'd buy these again. Wrecked car before I could see how the mileage wold be, but saved he tires for the next Q
I didn't want the review to get "lost" so I put it here also.
Car: Infiniti J30t
Tire: Goodyear GT +4 High Performance All Season In use?: For 7.5 seasons, came standard on new J30t from Canadian Infiniti dealer. Climate where used?: Canada, sloppy wet springs, dry summers, snowy, slushy icy winteers.
Pros:
Dry Grip, excellent Wet Grip(especially in torrential downpours), excellent Snow Grip(especially deep snow), not bad ice grip, long tread life. Made from quality rubber. Excellent cornering on most surfaces.
Cons:
Pricey, Tire noise, Ride can get choppy on some surfaces, high spray from tires, hit and miss in absorbing pot holes and bumps.
Purchase again? Not sure, I'm hearing the rubber Goodyear is using now is not of the quality I had.
Tire: Dunlop Sport A2 All seasons. In use?: approximatly 3 seasons and counting. Climate where used?: Canada, sloppy wet springs, dry summers, snowy, slushy icy winters.
Pros: Excellent dry, wet, slush and snow grip (evacuates all precipitation efficiently). Not too bad on ice. Made from quality rubber(still looks new, rubber doesn't freeze when its -40 degrees celsius). Quiet smooth sporty ride, tires provide excellent cornering during spirited driving. Quiet tire. Absorbs road imperfections well.
Cons: Price, tread wear, "slippery" on gravel roads.
Would Purchase Again? Yes, in a heartbeat.
Currently in the Garage: Daily Driver: Acura EL Daily Driver: Saab 9-5 2.3t Aero Sportwagon Spring/Summer/Fall Screamer: '94 Infiniti J30t gold package w/HICAS (10+ years of ownership and she still looks&runs like day one!!!)
I just bought an FX35 with 265x50x20's Goodyear RSA's? They still have 5/32'' tread left, but I dont know whether the tires have 48k or 20k miles, here in Hot wet Houston. No problems, they ride like20's ,so they are best at speed, or cornering.
I was hoping to read more about Falken's they run $60. cheaper a piece and I'm going to need a set soon. The Goodyears are $244.00 ea. at Discount, $180 for the Falkens. This size Nittos; look too Xtreme in their tread pattern for my taste.
I have Falkens on a BMW 3 series, and of course they're not on 20" wheels; but I like them quite a bit, especially for the money. I have run Goodyear RS-A's on the same car and the Falkens are just flat better. Unfortunately, tire performance isn't always consistent between sizes, so this may not help you. If you're looking to save a few bucks, try buying take-offs on ebay (just search on tire size). I've done this several times over the years, and had very good luck with them.
- car: 1997 Infiniti Q45, 127K Miles - Bridgestone Turanza LS-V - 215-60-16 ($120each) and 225-60-16 ($130 each) 50K miles on each - all season grand touring - Super quiet, AA traction, excellent in rain. Never had an issue, put 100K in the two types of tires (50K each) - Handling may not be best, a these are grand touring tires - if you want luxury treatment (quiet comfort, reliability, traction), this gets a 10.0
Car: 1997 Q45t, 93k miles Brand / Model: General, Exclaim UHP Sizes: front 245/35-19, 93W, rear 275/30-19, 95W Price: Fronts - $145, Rears - $175 Mileage: 200 miles Category: Ultra High Performance Good: Quiet, sticky, good sidewall, nice looking tread, a newcomer to ultra high performance tires with a solid background, owned and developed by Continental Bad: None. All reviews I found were very positive, and pricing is projected to go up within a year or so
Car: 1993 Infiniti Q45, 195,500 miles Brand: Firestone Model: Affinity LH30 Price: $80 each mounted Size: 215/65HR15 Category: All Season
I just got these this morning, and the weather is utter crap here in Minnesota right now. The drive back from Tires Plus was much more comfortable than I expected - I was really torn between these and the Blizzaks, but with the way winters are down here, with my luck I'd end up having to buy a set of all-seasons by February. I can't really review these yet as I just got them, but I'll be back to edit the post after a few weeks.
"Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander."
"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." Thomas Paine
« Re: The Official Tire Review Thread (Jeff Williams)
2:16 PM 1/26/2006
Guys; I just joined the club today,with a '97 Q45t at 142K (so a little history may be in order)but have been an expert on BMWs, especially 5 series,street and track for over 27-30 years,as well as a driving instructor for BMWCCA's high speed closed course driving schools. My rear wheel drive experience in 5 series rates the above tire as one of the three best in it's class for rear wheel drive cars.MY favorite has been the Dunlop SP5000 all season,which has been used street and track very well for years by many of us in the BMW club,my only reference until lately. The YOK is every bit as good,a really good tire,and a really good bargain pricewise for what it does. My current '97 Q45t came with Dunlop H rated D40 A2's,again a decent tire in it's class,now replaced by Dunlop with the SP Sport A2 Plus ,a better H rated tire,but not the V or better rating Q's should have if they're driven hard. Hope to learn alot from all of you in the future...
'97 Q45t stock '86 BMW E28 535i/5 stock '86 BMW E28 535i/5 Cartech Intercooled Turbo modified(just gone 2/4/06...) '90 BMW E34 535i/5 modified street and track (gone)
Car: 2000 FY33 Standard Suspension: OEM Car Mileage: 72K OEM Minimum Load rating Specification: 94 Wheel: OZ Racing (light pressure cast) 18x9 +35mm 20.6 lbs. Brand: Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Size: 255/40-18 Load Rating: 99 Price: ~$286 ea. Tire Mileage: 2K Category: Maximum Performance Good: Quiet, grip like one wouldn't believe, and finally a tire as good as the SZ50-EP in the rain. Did I say quiet and too smooth? Amazing for a tire with this level of performance. Bad: Not cheap, but the best never is. I will be lucky to get 20K. One way to look at it is how much money do you save if you can stop 12 ft. shorter from 70 mph and not rear end the vehicle in front? Way more than the tire is costs. REtired at ~23K. Recommendation: Get it if you have the appropriate wheels and the suspension is restored to OEM as new.
Wear at 10K is minimal. Looks like age may get them before tread wear.
Tire: 245-40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 93W (Front of the Q)...
Good: Very sticky, and very durable. Been through one racing event and they only cupped a TINY bit on the outside edge, and thats all gone now. Tires still look great after being beaten to death.
Bad: More road noise than I expected from a michelin tire, but i also run a bit more tire pressure than a lot of people do.
Verdict: I heart them.
Tire: 255-40-18 Pirelli PZero Assimetrico
Good: Very quiet and smooth, can take a beating.
Bad: Not QUTIE as sticky as I wanted, but id like to try them on the front of my car sometime.
Verdict: Undecided if ill buy them again, id prefer just to run the michelins all the way around
Goodyear F1 GS-D3 150 each for 225/50/17 175 each for 235/50/17 Purchase thru Discount Tire with a price match of Tire Rack's price Max Performance tire I am at 50,000 miles (just about done with my second set) Oh My God! awesome in the rain, a little fuzzy at the limit while cornering but easy to deal with. Straight line traction is jsut shy of drag radials. the limits on this tire are way beyond anything in the two digit speed range. I drive these hard and they respond. I run a staggered set up now for straight line traction but an all around same size is much better for cornering.
Better Life Thru Chemistry
G35 Sedan 6MT, "Z" suspension, Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's (225/50/17 front, 235/50/17 rear), custom exhaust catback and intake midpipe
13.89 @ 101 mph
I have raced and built Nissans for 15 years now, thanks to the 92 SE-R
31910 posts
LETS GO VANNING
ITS A PARTY IN THE USA
5-5-2003
« Re: The Official Tire Review Thread (Jeff Williams)
11:16 PM 9/15/2006
Brand: Bridgestone Potenza G 009
Size: 215/65/15, OEM size installed on original OEM piepan wheels.
Price: Purchased brand new by previous vehicle owner. About $75-$85 retail.
Mileage: 4,000 miles so far.
Category: All Season High Performance
Good: Supremely quiet! Very smooth and dead silent at 100mph. Handles extended high speed driving very well; I took them across the country on route 66. Sidewalls are sufficiently stiff for daily driving, keeping the back end where it should be during spirited cornering. Ride quality is surprisingly very good, giving some welcome civility to the harder and sportier '90 Q45. Some of the best tires I've owned, and going by the prices I see at Tirerack, they're a darn good bang for the buck. I'd recommend them to anyone who needs tires for a daily driver.
Bad: These tires are directional, so rotation options are limited.
Size: 215/65/15, OEM size installed on O.Z. Fittipaldis
Price: Came with the wheels for only $50.
Mileage: 2000 miles.
Category: All Season Performance
Good: Acceptable ride quality when they're balanced.
Bad: Wet traction is AWFUL! A light touch of the throttle breaks the rear end loose at very low speeds (10-30mph). I originally blamed it on these tires being used and a couple years old, but other reviews confirm how poorly these manage themselves in any bit of moisture. Tread wear was quite poor, going from 50% to 10% in only a couple thousand miles, most of it at 70-85mph. The locking tread design causes it to track very poorly down the road, pulling hard to one side or the other. I thought my alignment was bad until I replaced these tires. The sidewalls have a terrible tendency to roll, making cornering in a heavy car like the Q fairly dangerous. They go out of balance very quickly, within 1000 miles in my case. Vibrations went from minor to intolerable over the course of only a few months. I could see the fat in my arms jiggling as I gripped the steering wheel.
Yokohama makes great tires, of which I've owned many, but these are terrible.
2005 Q45 Base Model New wheels and tires: TSW chrome 18x8"-40 "Kyalami" Bridgestone 245/45ZR16 RE050A 100W $180 each + shipping, mounting/balancing, road hazard warranty. Doscount Tire met Tire Racks price on them, although they weren't very happy about it. Since I bought the wheels there though, they did honor the price. Note that they were very careful with the TPS sensors, and replaced the rubber gaskets and valve cores with new ones, and gave me new chrome valve caps (which were missing from the car when I bought it), and gave me a free electronic tire pressure gauge. They were VERY pleasant and professional in all my dealings with them, as usual. I've been buying tires and wheels from them for over 13 years now, and have always found them to be great, and more than competitive on pricing.
Only around 130 miles on them so far. My initial observations are as follows:
Ride is very good for this type of tire, especially considering the 100W load rating. Road noise is muted, again, good for this kind of tire. Noise over expansion joints and potholes is there, but not severe, acceptable. Initial turn-in at low speeds and moderate corners is fair, but response at road speeds is excellent. Tracking is excellent in both straight line and in curves. Stability in curves is ecellent. Dry traction seems very good, but tires are not yet broken in, and I haven't pushed it yet on harder turns and high speed curves. So far they seem excellent, I haven't had it out in our recent wet weather though, so can't comment on wet traction on acceleration and turns. Too early for wear to be reported on. They only have a 140 wear rating, but Discount tire tells me that Bridgestone is very conservative on their wear ratings, that I should get at least 20k miles out of them. We'll see.
I noticed that this tire must have nylon in the carcass, as on cold starting, it shimmies until they are warmed up.
Tire Rack rates this tire as good as the Michelin PS2 in all but one category, and as I recall, only .1 below the PS2 in that. It's around $100 each less expensive, although it has a lower wear rating, 140 vs 220 for the PS2.
So far I'm pleased with them, and will report further as I get more miles and experience with them. Initially at least, I find nothing I don't like about them, and can recommend them.
Previous wheels and tires when I bought the car were 20x7.5" American Racing chrome "Casino", and tires were 245/35ZR20 Sumitomo "HTRZ II. They seemd okay, but stiff riding and tracking wasn't as good as the RE050A. For me, these wheels and tires weren't appropriate for a Q45 appearance wise, although I'm sure a lot of others might like them a lot. I didn't have enough experience with the AR/Sumitomo 20 inchers to be able to do a good comparison with the new ones I replaced them with, but I do like the new TSW/Bridgestones a lot.
My almost new 20" chrome wheels/tires are posted for sale in the "Infiniti Parts for Sale" Folder @ $1,000 for the set in Phoenix. Younger guys will probably like them, especially for that price.
Update on the 245/45ZR18-100W RE050A "Pole Position" Bridgestones on my 2005 Q45:
I started with 36 psi all around. Handling and tracking was good, but ride was stiff and sharp over manhole covers and freeway expansion joints.
Dropped to 34 psi. Handling and tracking stayed good, ride improved somewhat.
Dropped them again, this time to 33 psi, the recommended pressure. Ride is improved even more. Now while manhole covers and expansion joints are still felt and audible, they're a lot more muted, and it's acceptable. Surprisingly, tracking isn't quite as good though, and turn-in and stability in corners is slightly reduced too.
I'm going to leave them at 33 psi for a while and drive them on a number of different roads and streets. Then I'm going to try33.5 psi. So far, 33psi is good, maybe 33.5 will be even better.
Every different tire has it's own "sweet spot", depending on the vehicle, tire size, and wheels. Sometimes as little as .5 psi can make a difference. But then, I'm especially sensitive to tires and the way they ride and handle, much more so than most people. Oh yeah, and I'm fussy too.
I'll keep reporting on these tires as the miles roll by.
- Bridgestone Blizzak REVO 1 installed on J30 - 205x65 R15 Approx $120/each with installation, approx 4K on them now - Winter - stud-less - Cornering is poor though it's understandable. The edges are soft to provide good grip on snow and ice.
Pros: It is difficult to compare with other tires as this is my first and only winter tire so far but I'm very very happy with it. Perfect grip on a snow and icy road as well as snow mud and dry in low temperatures (tested down to 5F). The car responds very well in the snow mud, ice and deep snow. I was testing it in approx 5-6 inches snow and it was pulling the car w/o much difficulties. Of cause it would slide but not that much as all-season. Stops perfectly. No break locking in the mud and wet snow on a road. Little skidding in all snow pavement with the asphalt covered by ice with ABS getting engaged.
Cons: Not a con actually but a side effect. As the tires have a very god grip and biting the snow and mud the car became very muddy after driving as the particles are thrown up from the wheels.
I would definitely recommend people to install it in the areas where the temperatures stay below 30F for a couple of months or so. Not only does it help in snow or ice but also when the pavement is dry but cold. I consider it a very good insurance. In some circumstances it can save your life.
Areas tested: Upstate NY - Appalachian Mountains, Toronto and GTA area, Ontario.
Update: drove ~7000k miles on them. They helped a lot to survive in snow. Even in great snowfalls. I was making uphill w/o any problems on the 1st gear and 2nd gear. Change them in spring once the temperature go up. Otherwise you will just kill them as the compaund becomes very soft.
245-35-20 Bf Good Rich G-Force tires Ride is a little stiff, But the look can not be matched rides good, car still fast and I love the look, i get heads turning everytime i ride by
4,000 miles, and I'm back to 34 PSI all around. Steering on F50s leaves a lot to be desired, so that has a lot to do cwith my results. Ride is good but sharp bumps are transmitted more than I'd like. Tracking and turn-in are fair. Not bad, but not great either. Traction is good. Despite only a 160 wear rating, at 4,000 miles they look great. I haven't drivien it in the rain yet, so I'll have to reserve comments on wet handling.
I think I'll save my pennies and next time I need tires, get a set of PS2s.
Michelin Pilot Sport 2 275/35/18 $1260 for 4 installed w/tax Reasonably quiet excellent dry grip initially-probably 1/2 worn now and I find that they don't seem to have as much grip wet or dry (but I also put in 3.73's recently). excellent wet grip initially as well. I can basically drive the same way (spirited commuting) wet or dry and there is little difference. I have used these on at least one autocross outing and a 2-day SVT HPDE road course event. I'll probably only get 20K+ out of them.
Michelin Pilot Sport 265/35/18 & 295/35/18 came with Roush 18x9 chrome wheels for $2K Louder than PS2 Great traction wet or dry may perform better throughout life of tire than PS2 probably 25-30K miles out of them Many road course and autocross events
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